


The Laws Of Resentment

by fckdanielhowell



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Angst, Dan Howell - Freeform, Famous, Fluff, Happy Ending, Law, Lawyer, M/M, Phan - Freeform, Phil Lester - Freeform, YouTube, haters to lovers, vlogging - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:40:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27201923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fckdanielhowell/pseuds/fckdanielhowell
Summary: As a teenager Dan Howell always looked up to the famous content creator, AmazingPhil. After years of trying and failing to bridge some form of connection with him, Dan grows to resent Phil. But when Phil needs help from London's greatest lawyer on a copyright strike case, will Dan be able to get over his past hatred and help Phil, or will his case be doomed from the start?Or when Dan becomes a lawyer and has to represent Phil.
Comments: 8
Kudos: 12





	1. zero

The soft moonlight shone through the curtains, illuminating the room like fairy lights. The soft hum of rain dropping from the sky and dancing to the ground, decorating the streets in what was sure to be endless puddles, was overwhelmed ever so slightly by the droning of cars, cascading through Reading as if it weren't almost twelve in the morning. Which was the better option to listen to was quite an obvious choice, at least to Dan it was. 

Dan Howell was sat on his bed, staring at the luminating screen that was his Dell laptop, shining images of people he'll never know talking about subjects he's never heard of. Why exactly he decided to _waste his life like this_ (as he decided to call it), he'll never know. It wasn't like going on YouTube was a thing he'd often do. In fact, usually the laptop in his hands would be replaced by his PlayStation controller, and the bright light of real life people would be mere depictions of humanity with the, arguably horrific, 2004 RuneScape graphics. But something about today of all days was like a gravitational pull. For once he didn't have the energy to play his favourite games. For once his body felt drawn to a (to be quite honest) shady website filled with people he couldn't be bothered to learn the names of, quite like real life to be fair - and he'd had enough of _real life_ for, well, a lifetime.

Dodging his inner groan for thinking of the website like that, Daniel continued to scroll - trying to find something, anything, that could be of somewhat interest to him. His eyes scanned the endless videos and their titles, some weirder than others, most of which, however, Call Of Duty: Black Ops gameplays. Dan had already exhausted that game to even bare seeing any of it ever again, even if it did distract him from his boredom for a while. 

After what felt like hours to Dan (in reality it was only a few minutes, but what exactly can you expect from a drama kid other than overdramatising everything), a certain video caught his attention. It was weird, if he was being quite honest. The experience was as if his entire body begging him to click it, it was like if he ignored it, his life would not be the same. He would be missing out on a whole new life. And what was this phenomenal video which caused this incredulously inexplicable pull? 

_'The Rabit iz comin to get youu'_

Well, anticlimactic as it will, it didn't take long for the boy to click it. The black loading screen slowly morphed into a man with an equally dark fringe sitting in front of a T.V., talking about moving back home for the summer. Holding up a book, he starts reading out notes from his child-self including, but not limited to, a quite disturbing story about a boy called Adam and his strangely graphic conflict with his teacher which eventually resulted in his demise. _How lovely for a child author_ , Dan thought.

He felt oddly connected to this man - to whom he didn't even know the name of. As if they needed to know each other. Checking his channel, Dan noted three key facts about the strange man.

1\. He had exactly 53918 subscribers.

2\. His name was AmazingPhil.

3\. Daniel needed to know him.

Okay so maybe the last one wasn't exactly a fact about Phil so much as a slap in the face that maybe Dan was being a little bit creepy. Oh well, it wasn't like he was going to try to talk to Phil - even though he wanted to, he couldn't! I mean, it's not as if he had his social media links extremely visible for anyone to actively search him out on. The only issue with the previous statement is that, much to Dan's excitement, his social media's _were_ extremely visible for anyone to search him. In fact, just by one small glance, Dan managed to find his Twitter, MySpace and his Email! Wow, the lad really should put more care into trying to hide that stuff more.

And so, with a strange feeling of relief, Dan began typing out an email to Phil. He must have reread it over a million times before hitting send. _It has to be perfect._ _It has to._ With one last read over, Dan hit send. It'll all be alright, of course it would. Ideally Phil would get back to him within the next few days and they'd start talking and Dan would finally understand the strange emotions he felt. Ideally that is. Dan knew somewhere deep inside him that it was ludicrous to think that - he did have over one _million_ views after all. But it was worth a shot. It would always be worth something.

**_Dear Mr Amazing,_ **

**_My names Dan, I really need to talk to you..._ **


	2. two

Walking into the office will never not be a complete reminder to Dan on just how much of his life he'd managed to waste. It wasn't exactly like he wasn't getting recognition for his work or that he was underpaid - hell, he was arguably one of London's best lawyers from the younger age range. That didn't matter though. What's the point in being good at something if it becomes routine. In all honesty, he lost interest in law around his first year of University. But what else could he have done? He needed a job to fill the rest of his life, he had the grades and it paid well. So there he was, walking through the glass doors of Dickens and Craig Law Firm London, breathing in the scent of the cheep lemon cleaning product and smiling politely at the receptionist who merely softened her glare into a pointed stare. _Just thirty-eight years until retirement_ , he reminded himself. 

Clambering into the elevator, an intern from his department stopped the doors from closing, slid in and smiled at him. Dan thought he remembered her name - Aleshia, if he was correct. She looked at him as if a thought popped into her brain, turning and quickly explaining something he honestly couldn't give two fucks for. But he paid attention. He listened. He nodded and smiled and laughed at her joke which was very clearly a poor attempt at a flirt. And he pretended he enjoyed the interaction. 

"Mr Howell! I'm so glad I caught you. erm, I hate to intrude - even though that's clearly what I'm doing," She laughed. Why? Dan was unsure, but he let her continue. "But Margret wanted me to tell you she needs to see you. Something about a huge assignment. Honestly, I couldn't give two hoots what she was trying to tell me if I tried - God knows the old hag needs to stop talking so fast. We need more lawyers like you at the top, young and fit, I think." There it was, the joke that he could hardly bring himself to laugh at, and the shitty attempt at a flirt that he couldn't reciprocate if his life depended on it. Aleshia smiled briefly before clicking the button on the elevator to take her to the floor they needed to be on. It took Dan approximately ten seconds before he realised he hadn't responded to the poor girl yet.

"Oh, uh, yeah. Thanks." Maybe he was being too harsh on the girl. He couldn't help it, though - it hadn't been a great weekend for him and coming into a job he could hardly stand did _not_ make it any better. He could only wish to be back home with his shitty movie collection, and overpriced ice cream and his crappy girlfriend. He didn't have much time to think of that, though, as the elevator made that small _ding_ noise (which he concluded was the only good part to his work day) and instantly got swarmed with a mass of interns, unsure what exactly they need him to do, but sure that they need him to do something. 

He wanted to walk to his desk and just get the day over and done with. He wanted to pretend he was working on the Allegra case but scroll through Reddit instead. He wanted to pretend he knew exactly how and why he became such a prestigious lawyer. But he remembered, Margret wanted to see him. He didn't mind Margret, she had become much like a mother figure to Dan over the years, but Aleshia was not lying when she said the old hag couldn't slow her speech down enough for people to understand her. 

Swiftly making a 180 away from his office to Margret's, he noticed the excited chatter around the office. _Huh_ , he thought, _must be a good case then._ He needed one of those, he couldn't remember the last time he enjoyed this. Maybe Margret would pull through and give him something other than suing cases and shitty businessmen. They were fun at first. Now, he can't seem to get attached to his work. Maybe that's why he was so good at his job.

Coming face to face with the office door he'd become so familiar with over the past few years, he knocked quietly, awaiting a scrambled 'come in', then opened the door, walked in and took the seat opposite the woman. Margret was truly a wonderful person, her greying hair was tied into a neat bun, her floral shirt flowed over her wrinkled skin and tucked gently into her black denim jeans. She gave off intensely intimidating vibes before you actually got to know the woman. Dan recounted the first time he met her, he swore he almost imploded into himself thinking _she_ was going to be his boss. Now, nearly four years on, he couldn't help but laugh at that.

"Right so, I'm sure Alia must have told you by now," _Alia_. So that was her name. He really should pay more attention. "But a huge client has come up and I need you to take up the case." Dan nodded along, barely able to keep up with her words. A big client, huh? He could handle that.

"A big client? Interesting." Dan voiced, partially to himself, partially to urge her to continue. As much as Dan hated his job, he couldn't dismiss the little spark of excitement he still got when representing a larger client.

"Yes, well. Apparently he's popular on the internet, I've only really heard of him from my grandniece. He got into some legal trouble with a music company, Clamity. Allegedly, the company promoted their music as copyright free, he used the music as his into soundtrack for four years, they copyright striked him and now he's at risk of a terminated channel." She explained, adding in a slicing motion over her neck to simulate this poor mans channel.

"I don't know, Marge, it's not exactly my field..." He started, quickly getting interrupted by Margret's frantic hand gestures and quick explanation.

"No, no it isn't. But Chris says they're absolutely swamped down in his department and something in my gut is telling me that you need to take this case." Her argument, albeit not the best, did win Dan over. _I guess if he's as big a shot as she says the mystery man is, why not give it a try._ "Come on, Daniel, it should be an easy enough case - and since he's paying far too much money for something like this, I can give the Allegra case to Marie!" Okay, if he hadn't been persuaded before, he was prepared to sell his soul for that offer now. Well, maybe not something that drastic, but he definitely wanted it.

"I'm in." Marge grinned at him, as a small smile traced his lips. She cheered, pausing a second to dig through her messy drawers to look for the file that contained more details about the case. Once found, she handed it over to him, still grinning as he opened it up, his vision still focused on her. "Who exactly is this guy anywa- oh. Oh _no_."

There, written in black ink, lay a name he thought he'd forgotten about in 2011. A name he'd grown to hate. A name that could've changed who he'd become. There, written in black ink lay the name: Philip Michael Lester (AmazingPhil).

"Oh, good bloody fuck."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello hello sexc readers, it's currently quarter to four in the am on a monday morning and i am partially blind so that's pretty minted. this is technically the second chapter so woooo congrats on me for getting this far lmao thumbs up emoji its pretty shit ngl but i hope u enjoy it thank u x


	3. three

_August 3rd, 2009_

**Dear Mr Amazing,**

**It's silly for me to expect a response from you, I know, but I need it right now. Some of my friends on Twitter and other, arguably, shitty platforms alike have gotten some notices from you. What am I doing wrong? Oh well, now's not the time - I'm supposed to be updating you on my life not having a breakdown (even though the two go hand in hand LMAO)**

**It hasn't been great, I'll tell you. For starters you haven't uploaded this week! What's that all about XD (JK, I understand you probably have business of your own to attend to). It's weird though. I never expected to miss something that much. For God's sake, I've only been a fan since July! Maybe I am losing it (just a bit though).**

**That isn't all though. I am an embarrassment. A disappointment. I want to cry I think. Oliver Fucking West. The reincarnation of God himself gave me a pencil today in science. I might've told him I am in love with the pencil. Look, it was a nice pencil! It wasn't at all like I was trying to say anything else,** _haha, no. Not at all._ **I really need to work on subtlety, huh. The story gets worse though because Moly (if Oliver were the reincarnation of God, Moly is Satan in his purest form - actually no. Satan's kinda hot.).** **Well, Moly heard me saying that to Oliver and I. Kid. You. Not. Told everyone. E v e r y o n e. Now the entire year keeps offering me pencils. Now that I think about it actually, it's not that bad. I haven't had this many pencils at the handy since the first day of year one.**

**That was the Dan Drama Of The Week though, well, unless you count the guy who literally stole my lunch money. Like, mate, if you're gonna be a prick _at least_ be an original one. My drama class actually is now putting on a production of Blood Brothers. Apparently it's supposed to be incredible. I'm hoping to get the role of Sammy. Then maybe for once in my life I can be the one with the power. I can finally be the one who doesn't have to worry about others picking on me. Even if it is just fiction.**

**Adrian's doing alright, still a pretentious fuck who only talks about** _looking for the beauty in life, Dan._ **I'll look for the beauty in life when I can see something that can be classed as a life. The fucker read one Friedrich Nietzsche (fuck him BTW) book and now thinks he is existential nihilism. I mean, I'm saying that as if I didn't do the exact same thing when I was his age - but it fucked me up! I don't want him to have to go through that too.**

**On a slightly brighter note, our teacher's been bickering about our futures for the last** _way_ **too long so now I have to worry about my future. My year head says I have the grades to do pretty much anything that isn't an extremely specific field. I think I might do law. I mean, I would rather plough my eyes out than actually be one of those braindead-desk-snoggers but I mean, I don't know what else to do. I guess YouTube might be fun, but I'm not too sure. I don't think I'm capable for that. Let's make a bet, yeah? If I so much as get a thumbs up back from you on any of my Emails, I'll try YouTube. I don't think I'll go full-time just yet, but I'll make it a hobby or something. You have all the chance in the world, just a slight bit of recognition and I'll try it. God knows I need a bit of encouragement.**

**That's all for me I guess. This week wasn't as bad as the rest if I'm being honest. Mum and Dad have stopped arguing for now, though Dad keeps being casually homophobic which is just _great_ but that's another story. I don't want these Emails to be too sad. I'm hoping one day I can use these to view my past (or, well, _my_ present woah) as a happy memory rather than what it really was. Thank you for listening to my ranting, I'll send you another update next week. **

**Yours sincerely,**

**Dan x**

**P.S. Phily, you're on.** ****

-

Dan was sat with his parents at the table. Dead silence, save the cluttering of utensils against the ceramic plates and the drumming of his fingers against the table. It was always like this, so Dan wasn't particularly sure why everything felt different. His mum was staring intensely at her plate, hoping to be consumed, Dan thought. He understood. He was feeling the same way. As if on cue, his Dad coughed, instantly stopping all sound as everyone turned their vision to him.

"Right, erm. Daniel, my boy! Have you figured out what you want to do after, uhm . . . school." His dad tried. Dan knew that. He appreciated that. He rejoiced in the few moments his dad actually tried with him. A blue moon was but dirt in comparison.

Slightly taken aback, Dan choked on his food slightly, he coughed as he met eyes with his dad. "Oh, uh, yeah. I think maybe law could be erm, cool. I guess." His mumble was showing, he knew it. His mind drifted back to when he was younger and had to go to a speech therapist for it. After literal years of going, he could still barely talk. He blamed that more so on the anxiety less than the speech impediment though.

"Law?" His dad sounded . . . impressed? Proud, even? His dad was never proud of him. Maybe he was doing something right for once. Dan hoped he'd be as accepting if he knew he still wanted to be a- "A lot more realistic than that stupid website you wanted to be on. What was it called? YouChat?" He should really stop reaching for the highest branches he can find.

"Yeah, aha. _Stupid._ " _Come on, Phil. Please give me something._

_-_

After dinner was cleared up and washed away, Dan went upstairs, lay in his bed and did the very thing he'd been doing for the last month, he scrolled through YouTube. By now his PlayStation was but a relic - a dinosaur that lay resting quietly on Dan's television stand. But he wasn't interested in that. How could anyone be interested in _anything_ when Phil Lester posted a video? A video with a title that made Dan's heart skip a beat or two. Maybe, possibly a title that gave Dan just a little bit of hope. Just a bit.

" _Reading Fan Mail 1: Lion Apocalypse?!_ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hihi, new chapter woo. i'm genuinely so shit at actually committing to shit but i'm excited for this. idk, it might come out great or shit i might give up or lose interest idk but i hope it works out idk. thank u so so much for the messages they're so nice hhhhh thank u:((( but yeah, i'm planning on doing it so that it's like every few chapters will be a flashback to 2009-2011 ish to see shit idk but yeah thumbs up emoji. thank u sorry i'll stop rambling now BYE.


	4. four

"What was that, Dan?" Margret asked, her brows were furrowed in concentration, trying to decipher what the other body in the room had just said. Dan flushed, easing his composure and laughing awkwardly, glad she hadn't heard him. That or she had and was merely letting him off with great acting skills and a want for a shitty explanation. He really wouldn't put it past her.

"Oh, uh, nothing. Is- is there anyway I could erm, not do this?" He asked, eyes tracing over the name again, and again, and again. _You just misread it, Dan! Surely there's another extremely popular YouTuber with the same birth and channel name. Surely._ Reassurance was never Dan's strong point, but he tried. He tried a bit too much if he was being honest.

"Look, love, I'm going to be honest here. There is nobody else who can take it. I know it's not necessarily your field but you did take a course when you were interning here." Margret started, gesturing towards her coffee mug when talking about Dan's internship. God, he'd rather take up Phil's case than have to remember those days. "Not to mention Chris is _struggling_ down in the copyright department. And that's coming from _Chris_. The guy who hasn't asked for help from _anyone_ since he started working here. It's been eight years, Dan. _Eight._ " He sighed at that. Margret was right about that. If Chris was asking for help they must've been in Hell sucking Satan himself off. He doesn't half-arse those jobs.

He still tried his luck though. "Surely I'm not the only one in this department who has experience in that department? We're the business sector, for God's sake!"

"Of course you're not the only one who took the course but listen, I just have this feeling that you need to take this case. It'll take you six months tops. Allegra can go to Marie and, if it's Mr Lester you're worried about, I spoke to him on the phone about the case earlier today. He's a nice chap - a bit talkative, but nice nonetheless." She was pleading now. Dan wouldn't be shocked if she got on her knees and started begging him. He sighed, looking at how much she wanted him to take the case. _It couldn't be that bad, could it?_

"Okay. Fine, I'll take it. But Marie's taking Allegra - there's absolutely no way in Hell she's winning that case." He said finally, laughing slightly at the thought of all the loose-ended stories and heavily unreliable sources poor Marie would be dealing with instead of him. 

Margret looked stunned at first, her entire body slouched forwards and her mouth lay agape. That lasted approximately two seconds before her entire body filled with life and she jumped up, fully animated as she clapped, squealing something. Sometimes she reminded Dan a bit of a younger girl than an older lady. He liked that about her.

"Yay! Oh, God, I was beginning to think I wouldn't get you to crack." She smiled cheekily at him, patting his head and laughing. A smile traced Dan's lips despite himself. "Well then! He's meeting you at twelve o'clock for lunch, by the way. Please be polite, he's paying a bloody limb and a half, I tell you." 

Dan sat speechless. He knew he'd have to meet the bloke, but so soon? He checked his phone's time, checking just how long he'd have before he actually met the man that was partially to blame for Dan's current life. 

_**8:23AM**_

Great. Three and a half hours. Well isn't this just swell.

Dan nodded at Margret, thanking her with a brief "Thanks, Marge." then left her office in favour of his. If he was going to do this case, he was going to do it properly - personal vendettas and non-requited hatreds aside. He could do this.

He took a seat at his desk, opening the file and started reading. His eyes scanned over the page, the nostalgia kicking him in the guts making him feel like he was eighteen again, sitting on his bed, scrolling through Phil's channel. Oh, how the night changed. He picked out key information about the case and wrote them down in a notebook, under a new page simply labelled: " _Not-So-AmazingPhil And His Not-So-Amazing-Inability To Read The Fine Print_ ". In the poorly named page lay four key facts.

1\. Phil would be suing Clamity Music. 

2\. Clamity was of the biggest music companies of this day and age.

3\. Phils channel could get terminated and he's at risk of being millions of pounds in debt.

4\. Phil's number was sat at the bottom of the page.

He debated himself. There was absolutely no way in Hell he should call Phil. Even if he did, what would he say? What could possibly warrant getting woken up at, well now, nine o'clock in the morning. Dan knew if anyone did that to him, they would be as good as a dead man walking, I mean, being awoken for what? Talking to a stranger none the less-

"Erm, hello?"

"Hello, Mr Lester, I'm Daniel Howell. I'll be your representative lawyer for the duration of your trial."

Okay, so maybe he wasn't exactly listening to his inner worries for once.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okie okie, double updates at three in the morning is now my religion thank u very much. hello welcome back hope u had a good day/night/other time interval. yeah here's the new chapter also not me realising i know jack shit about law uhm we'll see how this works out heh.


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